Werewolf (CR +1)
Werewolf (CR +1) Born from hellish rage and bloodstained hatred, Werewolves are the cursed spawn of Cherax the Destroyer. While they walk among mortalkind in a form that passes for normal, when they are driven to anger a Werewolf reveals their true form; a ravenous, wolf-like monstrosity that will not stop until everything and everyone around it has been hunted, eaten, and destroyed. The curse passes from hunter to hunted, predator to prey, dormant only briefly until the hatred-given-sentience of the Beast awakens within its newest claimant. Not all Werewolves choose to follow in their creator's footsteps. Many choose to rebel against their new nature, struggling to retain control over the black mark on their soul that viciously urges them to commit atrocities with vindictive, predatory vigor. Some few learn to manage their condition, but most do not. Every lapse in judgment costs the lives of innocent people, and often loved ones. The Beast awakens anew after every violent act and each triumphant slaughter. It roars its dominance to the defiant and knows only malice for the weak and pure. Its thirst — your thirst — for bloodshed never grows weaker. This is the life of a Werewolf until it ends in bared fangs and bloodied claws. Creating a Werewolf "Werewolf" is an aquired template that can be added to any living humanoid with a soul, referred to hereafter as the base creature. A Werewolf retains all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here. *'CR' Same as base creature +1. *'Alignment' Any, although they tend towards Chaos and Evil. *'Type' The base creature gains the Shapechanger subtype. While in Lycanthrope form, their type changes to Daemon. *'Senses' A werewolf gains low-light vision and the scent ability. Defense *'Age '''Lycanthropy extends the base creature's lifespan by half, although most Werewolves typically meet violent ends long before their natural death. *'Hit Dice''' Change all racial hit dice to d10s. Class HD are unaffected. *'Defensive Abilities 'Ferocity *'Weaknesses' A Werewolf gains the following weaknesses. Werewolves gain a seventh ability score; Corruption. Corruption is a measure of the Beast's claim on the Werewolf's soul; indicating whether the Werewolf has successfully embraced or rebelled against the Beast. Having low Corruption starves the Beast, making it weaker and easier to resist. High Corruption gluts the Beast on bloodshed and destruction, making it stronger and harder to control. A Werewolf gains a point of Corruption the first time in a day they risk Fury (see below) and when they enter a Fury. A Werewolf loses a point of Corruption whenver they survive a violent, life-threatening encounter without taking Lycanthrope form, and for every week that passes without entering a Fury. When a Werewolf is damaged by a silver weapon, becomes bloodied (50% or less HP), or experiences intense emotional anguish, they risk erupting into a bout of reactive, destructive violence. A Werewolf must make a Will save (DC 5 + Corruption Score + the number of Furies resisted since their last Fury) 'or enter a Fury; a terrifying display of savagery and bloodlust. A Werewolf with 0 or fewer hit points automatically enters Fury without a saving throw. At the start of a Fury, the Werewolf shifts into their Lycanthrope form (if they were not in it) and becomes frenzied for 1d4 rounds, prioritizing the creature(s) that provoked their Fury as its targets. During this time neither Werewolf nor Beast are capable of conscious thought, and are completely subsumed by an uncontrollable fiendish rage. This violence emboldens and empowers the Beast, who wrestles with the Werewolf for dominance over their shared body, and the Werewolf must make another Will save at the same DC as the one that began their Fury. If they fail, the Beast seizes control of the Werewolf's actions. The Beast remains in Lycanthrope form for an amount of time depending on the Werewolf's Corruption, and will destroy, dominate, hunt, and rampage while in control. It is incapable of forethought, planning, and intelligence beyond its base predatory nature. It will crush challenges to its power, torment the weak, and destroy as much life and beauty as possible. If the Werewolf succeeds, they retain control of themselves and force the Beast into submission. They shift into their Humanoid form as the Fury ends, and are shaken for 1 minute in the aftermath of their ferocious mental struggle with the Beast. The Beast is uncontrollably enraged by the presence of the full moon. On the night of the full moon at midnight a Werewolf enters a Fury with no saving throw. If the Werewolf fails to prevent the Beast from taking control afterwards '(DC 5 + Corruption Score), it will remain in control until the moon sets instead of the standard time. Silver is anathema to Werewolves. Always uncomfortable to touch or be near, damage taken from silver weapons deals +50% damage and disables the Lycanthrope form's Fast Healing for 1 round. If a Werewolf is damaged by silver weapons more than once in a round, the length of the disability is extended. Offense * Special Abilities '''A Werewolf retains all the base creature's special abilities and gains the special abilities described here; '''Lycanthropy. : Any living humanoid with a soul that takes damage from the Lycanthrope form's bite attack must make a DC (5 + Corruption Score + Charisma modifier) Will save or be cursed with Lycanthropy. A remove curse or similar effect can cure Lycanthropy before three days have gone by, but at the end of the third day as the moon rises, the affliction settles into the new Werewolf's soul. The afflicted creature gains the Werewolf template, and enters Fury for the first time. At this point, only effects like'' miracle, ''wish, or reality revision can remove Lycanthropy without seeking strange and unreliable cures. This is an evil fiendish curse effect. *'Special Attacks '''A Werewolf retains all the base creature's special attacks and gains the special attacks described here; '''Change Shape'. :: Each werewolf has two forms — a humanoid form and a Lycanthrope form. The Lycanthrope form is a terrifying and powerful creature, a measure of the Beast's fiendish nature made flesh. The Werewolf grows fur, claws, and terrible teeth, appearing as a man-wolf hybrid monster. A Werewolf can spend a number of rounds equal to (Wisdom modifier) per day in Lycanthrope form without risking Fury; at the end of each round after this limit, the Werewolf risks Fury. :* a +4 bonus to Strength, and a +2 bonus to Dexterity and Constitution :* a -2 penalty to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma :* a +15ft. increase to base land speed :* a +3 increase to natural armor :* Darkvision 60ft. :* DR 5/Silver :* Fast Healing 3 :* a primary Bite attack and two secondary Claw attacks :* grow one size category :: Werewolves in Lycanthrope gain the following abilities and ability score changes. Change Shape is a polymorph effect; your equipment melds with and you continue to benefit from non-activation magic items. :: :: Changing Shape is a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. While in Lycanthrope form a Werewolf cannot use any Charisma, Dexterity, or Intelligence based skill (except Acrobatics, Fly, Initimidate, and Stealth) or any ability that requires patience or concentration. Statistics *'Ability Scores' +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom Additional Information *'Ecology' any, same as base creature *'Organization '''same as base creature *'Treasure same as base creature Werewolves are the spawn of an ancient grudge between Cherax and Elunara. The first Werewolves were the hierarchs of Elunara's clergy in the late Age of Orcs who were cursed by Cherax. They lost the ability to think, plan, and reason; trapped in ravening, impulsive rage and feral canine bodies. Since then, Lycanthropy has spread through the planes and become an object of great dread and superstition. Werewolf Prestige Classes Many Werewolves embrace their new nature, using their fiendish power for their own ends. Any Werewolf can choose to master the curse by taking levels in the following prestige classes, or by taking Werewolf Feats. The Knights of the Silver Moon were originally an order of Elunaran Werewolves who pledged to eradicate Lycanthropy. They learned to control the Beast with silver chains and iron will. Knights teach Werewolves how to control the Beast within themselves, and smite those who can not or will not learn. The order embraces Werewolves of any faith or philosophy as long as their resolve to protect others from their kind — or at least themselves — remains strong. Werewolf Ravagers embrace everything that being a Werewolf was ever meant to be. Be they cultists of Fiendish powers or Werewolves who simply lost control to the Beast over time, Ravagers stop drawing a line between self and Beast, denying none of their instincts to ravage, hunt, and destroy. Ravagers are the most populous of their kindred, and many Werewolves have contracted Lycanthropy at the jaws of a Ravager who was not thorough enough to finish the kill. Werewolf Shifters embrace the benefits of Lycanthropy without being consumed by the Beast. These Werewolves are drawn to explore the limits of Lycanthropy, pushing their newfound abilities in strange and different directions. Their pursuit of power changes the Beast and grants them unique insight into what being a Werewolf truly means. Lycanthropy and Stange Creatures Lycanthropy is an hungry, mutable curse. It follows the soul into the afterlife, corrupting the base creature until it becomes a spirit of hatred, wrath, and destruction. Lycanthropy depends on the trinity of mind-body-soul to function, and when that paradigm changes, things get weird. As a rule of thumb, Werewolves that become undead lose the Werewolf template. Werewolves cannot spread the curse to undead creatures. Undead Werewolves must be created through foul magic or dark pacts; the following entries are specific instances where the Werewolf template interacts with other templates. Lycanthropy and Ghals Any Werewolf can attempt the Ritual of Awakened Hunger to become a Ghal, but it will only succeed if they would gain the Vassal (Vorixael) subtype. Lycanthropy and Revenants A Werewolf who pledges themselves to Armenon in life becomes a Revenant when they die (unless their soul is Damned). Likewise, a Werewolf whose soul journeys to Dis in the afterlife and sells themselves to Armenon may still become a Revenant. However, Revenants cannot become Werewolves without the aid of strange, unexplored (and unreliable) arcane rituals. Lycanthropy and Seraphim A Werewolf increases the DC of all saving throws made to become a Seraph during the Embrace by '''(corruption score divided by 5, rounded down). If they survive the Embrace, they lose the Werewolf template. Seraphim cannot become Werewolves. Category:Creatures Category:Creature Templates Category:Shapechanger Creatures Category:Monstrous Creatures Category:Daemon Creatures Category:Fiendish Creatures